Turner Sports to Auction 100 Pairs of Original Nike Sneakers to Benefit Sager

The NBA on TNT will tip off the 2016-17 NBA regular season with a special tribute to iconic TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager and his ongoing bout with leukemia.

As part of this multifaceted initiative, the SagerStrong Foundation partnered with NikeiD to create a customized, limited-edition “Sager Strong” sneaker, designed by Sager himself. The shoe will be available via online auction, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the SagerStrong Foundation.

NIKEiD Customized Sager Strong Sneaker

One hundred pairs of the Sager Strong sneaker will be made—complete with paisley-print panels, a seersucker tongue tab and multicolored laces. The auction will begin Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. ET—during pregame of the season-starting contest between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers—and conclude Friday, Nov. 4. The shoes will be custom-made in the auction winners' designated sizes at the close of the auction.

Bleacher Report gave an exclusive sneak peek view of the shoes on Facebook Live Monday morning:

Sager T-Shirts

Additionally, two separate Sager-inspired T-shirts have been created. The first, developed by Mark Thomashow, Peter Raskin and 500 LEVEL and designed by Dave Zarzynski, will be presented during TNT’s NBA studio show and will be available for retail at sagerstrongfoundation.org, with portions of the proceeds supporting the SagerStrong Foundation.

The Golden State Warriors have also created a “Sager Strong” T-shirt, presented by City National Bank, that will be given to all fans attending the team’s Opening Night game against the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to its partnership for the T-shirt—which is not available for retail)—City National Bank will be making a donation to the SagerStrong Foundation.

“Craig is an inspiration to so many people, including all of us at Turner, as he continues to courageously battle cancer,” said David Levy, President of Turner. “This tribute is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our affection and support for Craig, his wife Stacy and their family, along with all of those facing similar obstacles.”